Will I need Internet access after I place my order?While you will need Internet access during the order, you will not need it after the order is completed. If you choose to enter an e-mail address as part of your order, you will receive a confirmation e-mail after the order has been submitted.

Can you ship my order to an address other than my own?Yes. You can specify the shipping address as part of the ordering process. Delivery can be to one of the 50 states, or to any of the U.S. territories, U.S. commonwealths, or U.S. military addresses. For military addresses, the entry in the "State" field must be AA, AP, or AE. To ship orders outside the United States, you can use the forms and instructions available on the Texas Vital Statistics website.

To purchase a protected (closed) birth certificate:If you reside in Texas, you can order your own record or the records of your immediate family members. If you live outside of Texas, you can order your own record or the record of your child, if you are listed as a parent on the record.

To purchase a protected (closed) death certificate:If you live in Texas, you can order the records of your immediate family members. If you live outside Texas, you must be the surviving spouse of the deceased, a parent of the deceased or the funeral director of the funeral home on the record.

As part of the order, you will be required to submit some identifying information about yourself that will be verified. If the verification is successful, you will be permitted to complete the order of the protected record.

May I order anyone's birth certificate online?No. Birth certificates with a date of birth within the past 75 years are protected records. If you reside in Texas, you can order your own record or the records of your immediate family members. If you live outside of Texas, you can order your own record or the record of your child, if you are listed as a parent on the record. If you cannot order online, you must apply through other methods, as described on the Texas Vital Statistics website.

Standard size (short form or abstract): The most commonly issued format because it satisfies most purposes, including registering a child for school or sports and obtaining a driver license in most states. If the birth record is not available in this format or if the state you live in requires the full size for a driver license, a full-size birth certificate will be issued instead.

Full size (long form): Used most often to obtain a passport. It's also typically required for purposes of dual citizenship, Indian Registry and immigration. Because this format contains information that can facilitate identify theft, we recommend that you order this format only when it is required.

Heirloom birth certificate: A specially-designed certificate with an engraved intaglio border, heirloom-quality paper, background security features, and a gold embossed seal. State law prevents issuance of this certificate to persons whose births were established by court order or delayed record procedures.

A birth-verification letter is a letter that states whether or not a birth was registered with the State of Texas. If the record is found, the verification letter will include the name, date of birth, county of birth, and state file number.

Because a birth-verification letter might not be accepted in place of a certified copy, we strongly recommend that you make sure that the verification letter will meet your intended use before you order it.

May I order anyone's death certificate online?No. Death certificates with a date of death within the past 25 years are protected records. If you live in Texas, you can order the records of your immediate family members. If you live outside Texas, you must be the surviving spouse of the deceased, a parent of the deceased or the funeral director of the funeral home on the record. If you cannot apply online, you may apply through other methods, as described on the Texas Vital Statistics website.

A death-verification letter is a letter that states whether or not a particular death was registered with the State of Texas. If the record is found, the verification letter will include the name of the deceased, the date of death, the county of death and the state file number. Because a death-verification letter might not be accepted in place of a certified copy, we strongly recommend that you make sure that the verification letter will meet your intended use before you order it.

Is a marriage-verification letter the same as a marriage license?No, a marriage-verification letter is not the same as a marriage license. A marriage-verification letter is a letter that verifies whether or not a marriage has been recorded with the State of Texas since 1966. For copies of marriage licenses, contact the county clerk in the county in which the marriage license was obtained.

Is a divorce-verification letter the same as a divorce decree?No, a divorce-verification letter is not the same as a divorce decree. A divorce-verification letter is a letter that verifies whether or not a divorce has been recorded with the State of Texas since1968. For copies of divorce decrees, contact the district clerk in the district where the divorce was granted.